Do you like music?

Everybody likes music: some people enjoy classical music, other are fond of popular music. But are all of them good listeners?

One of the most important thing is to learn to be a good listener. Only then one can learn to understand music. You may say: " It's very easy! We hear a lot of sounds around us." But hearing is not listening. Are we really listening to music on the radio while working, before leaving home or after coming there? I think not, because our ears take in many other sounds besides the music, such as the noises from outside, conversation, or a baby's crying.

So, to be a good listener means to listen to music without doing anything else. And that's not very easy. One has to sit still and concentrate on listening. At last it will become a habit. That's one thing. The other is to read about composers whose music we are interested in, about their works, about conditions under which those people had to live and create. People often say: "I often go to concerts, as I like music very much". They may go to a concert of chamber music, attend a symphony concerts, a piano, a violin or a choir concert. It's all the same to them. Does it mean that they love music or they understand it? And what about you?

Discuss the text answering the following questions.

1. Are all people good listeners?

2. Is it difficult to learn to be a good listener?

3. What does the author of this article mean by being a good listener?

4. Do you think a person really loves music if he enjoys all kinds of concerts?

5. What kind of music do you like – classical, popular or chamber music?

6. What can help you to understand the music of a certain composer?

7. How often do you listen to music?

8. Do you know anything about any composer?

9. What's your favourite pop group?

10. Do you play a musical instrument? Are you good at it? Did you take music lessons?

11. Have you got any records? Have your musical tastes changed since you were younger?

7. Are you for or against classical ( pop) music? Study the following arguments and develop the ideas.

For classical music.

• classical music gives the listeners delight and pleasure;

• classical music has a deep intellectual appeal;

• classical music has a strong ethical effect: it makes the listener better and more human;

• classical music condemns evil and supports the ideas of good;

• classical music creates a special world for the listener and enriches his inner life and makes him happy.

Against classical music.

• classical music is a complicated art;

• It's an exclusive art: most people don’t like or understand it. It's not a popular art;

• classical music pieces are very long and can send any listener to sleep;

• people want the kind of music, to which they can dance or just talk to friends. It should be cheerful and up – to –date.

Group discussion.

Are you for or against pop music?

For pop music.

• young people search for new rhythms and new styles;

• the new rhythms are full of force. The teens are happy and easily caught;

• the words of the songs deal with the younger people's world, their hopes, dreams, joys;

• young people " get tremendous kicks" listening to this music;

• it's an experimental kind of music.

Against pop music.

• the rhythms may be new and vigorous, but they lack variety, it's the same monotonous beat again and again. The tunes are primitive and easily forgotten;

• the words of some songs are senseless;

• medical research has proved that the volume of sound at some pop concerts does great damage both to the senses of hearing and to the nervous system;

• cases of mass hysteria are usual at pop concerts;

• in Australia taped pop music is used to frighten sharks off the public beaches.

8. Discuss the following questions with your partner.

2. When do you enjoy listening to music?

   1. while you are working;

   2. while you are doing something else ( e. g. driving, having a bath, cooking);

   3. in the morning as soon as you get up;

   4. in the evening when you are relaxing.

3. How do you prefer to listen to music?

   1. at a live concert;

   2. on a good quality sound system;

   3. on a personal stereo;

   4. on video.

4. Do you always listen to the same kind of music?

5. Which types of music do you like?

( heavy metal, hip – hop, jungle, pop, rap, techno, soul, trance, hardcore, mellow, rave)

9. Write a letter to your friend about your favourite group or singer.